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America’s favorite sports Sunday; Huddle in to learn overview, more

EMMA CORNMAN Reporter

This year, the 2023 Super Bowl falls on Sunday, Feb. 12. The start time is 6:30 p.m. EST and the stadium gates open at 2:30 p.m. EST at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game is between the Kansas City Chiefs (16-3), and the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3).

An article on AS writes about how the 2022-2023 football season for both teams “ended the regular season 14-3 and as leaders of their respective conferences.”

This will now be the fourth Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles. In 1980, they lost to the Oakland Raiders, and in 2004, they lost to the New England Patriots. Their most recent Super Bowl appearance was in 2017, at which they got their revenge against the New England Patriots and received their first win.

During the AFC final, the Chiefs won with a 23-20 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chiefs will be entering their fifth Super Bowl appearance. In 1966, the Chiefs lost their first appearance to the Green Bay Packers. The other three years the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl, they won all against the Minnesota Vikings. Many are wondering, who will come out victorious this year: the Chiefs or the Eagles?

Sophomore Ethan Sullivan states that he is rooting for the Eagles this 2023 Super Bowl, since the “Eagles have a higher advantage in this game. Both teams play very well, but [he] say[s] that the Eagles have the highest advantage.” He goes on to mention how, “the way they play this season has been outstanding,” and that between the two, the Eagles will win. Sullivan plans on watching the game “at [his] house, sitting right down on [his] couch, watching the TV.”

Sullivan goes on to say how between the two, the better team for “defense are the Chiefs, but Eagles have the better offense.” He explains how an injury may cost a win during the big game. “Patrick Mahomes sprained ankle, but the way he played against the Bengals in the championship games, [he] do[esn’t] know.” Sullivan “can’t say which player [he] like[s] the most since [he] can’t be biased at that, but at the same time they’re all equally good, the way the defense and the offense plays on each team is great.”

This year, the National Anthem will be sung by Grammy Award-winner Chris Stapletonl. The same article on AS goes on to mention how “The country music star is part of a pre-game lineup of artists, including R&B singer Babyface, who will sing “America the Beautiful,” as well as actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, who will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” 44-year-old Stapleton has won 15 Country Music Association awards and 10 Academic Country Music awards.

Along with Chris Stapleton, American Sign Language actor Troy Kotsur will also be performing. During the anthem, there will also be a Navy flyover with female aviators to celebrate 50 years of women flying in the US Navy. During halftime, singer Rihanna will be performing along with some other “special guests,” to perform with her which she stated in an interview with E! News.

Watch the game this Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. with friends and family. This game between the Chiefs and Eagles may be one worth watching.

Rihanna chooses to ‘shine bright like a diamond’; Barbadian music artist puts on Super Bowl performance

Stella Manns

Sports Editor

Football stars Travis and Jason Kelce are not the only two making history at Superbowl 57; Barbadian singer Rihanna performed for the first time at the big game. Other confirmed performers included Chris Stapleton and Babyface.

Rihanna’s setlist for the Super Bowl 57 halftime show included the following, “B- - - Better Have My Money,” “Where Have You Been?”, “Only Girl in the World,” “We Found Love,” “Rude Boy,” “Work,” “Wild Thoughts,” “Pour It Up,” “All of the Lights,” “Run This Town,” “Umbrella,” and “Diamonds,” according to today.com. This was Rihanna’s first concert since her 2018 Grammys performance. Her outfit was a monochromatic red. She had on a red shirt that showcased her newly revealed pregnant stomach. The star’s red outfit was made by “MM6 Maison Mariela x Salomon Cross High” according to townandcountrymag.com.

Until recently in 2022, the singer had not released music. On Nov. 11, 2022 she released “Born Again,” which was featured in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” This song was her first solo song since her album Anti was released in 2016, according to insider.com.

The Hawks have shown interest in her performance. However, some wish that more songs from her past were included in the concert in

Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium. Junior Marissa Luna wanted to hear “Love on the Brain,” while fellow junior Grace Conklin hoped to hear “Disturbia, SOS, Shut Up and Drive, and Pon de Replay.”

Sophomore Maggie Dawson favored, “Where Have You Been?” Dawson thinks that rapper Kanye West should have been in the “All of the Lights” performance, because, “ it is [West’s] song, too.” She characterized the backup dancers dressed in all white as “interesting, and very modern.” The outfits “fit this century,” according to Dawson.

According to sportingnews.com, Rihanna formed 39 different set lists in preparation for the highly anticipated halftime show. Even though the singer was not paid for her show, she still reaps in publicity from the millions of watchers, according to nbcchicago.com. “They looked like marshmallows!” is how freshman Payton Dinbokowitz described the monochromatic backup dancers.

Fellow freshman Samantha Johnson expressed more negative feelings toward the halftime show. Johnson wanted to see “more dancing” from the star. She also wishes a “more popular artist like Taylor Swift performed” so there could be more common songs sung. She did not like the dancers “all dressed in one color.” Johnson said that it “made the performance bland, as well as the dancers repeating the same moves for every song.”